Scars of Life
by Dolphin Sky
Summary: Little does Chichiri know, he and Mitskake met long ago, in fact, just after Chchiri's eye was punctured by the log. However, even though Chichiri doesn't remember, Mitskake does.


A/N: I got this awesome idea while reading something a while ago and I have to write it now or I shall dieeeeee. By the way, heh heh, we're just gonna pretend that Shoka died six years before Mika came to Konan.  
  
A Life Lost Is a Life Saved  
By Wingweaver  
  
Myojuan trekked across the rough terrain near a small village. He had been tending to someone in his home village when a messenger had burst into the hut and told him about an injured young man. He had said that he had been injured during the flood last night and was very sick.  
  
Myojuan had then finished tending to his patient, gathered his medicinal herbs, and started out. He told the messenger to stay and rest because he knew the village that he was heading to. In fact, his grandparents had lived there until they passed away three years ago.  
  
He stumbled slightly over a fallen log, dropping a few clay bottles in the process. He cursed at the log and stooped to retrieve the medicines. Luckily, they had fallen on a patch of moss and the worst damage was a small, shallow crack in the side of a bottle labeled wolf bane. After placing the bottles back in their proper places, he resumed his fast pace.  
  
He soon came within sight of two small villages. The closer of the two had suffered a small bit of damage, but the second was in shambles. The small houses had been completely swept away and there were a few carcasses of dead pigs and a cow.  
  
A young man came out to greet him. "Are you the doctor?" He asked Myojuan hopefully.  
  
Myojuan nodded, "I am. Where is the young man your messenger spoke of?"  
  
"He's this way." The young man started to lead Myojuan to a house on the outskirts of the village. He turned to talk as he was walking. "Thank Suzaku you came. We didn't have very many serious cases, but this young man is nearly dead. If you hadn't come then he wouldn't have a chance at surviving."  
  
"Well." Myojuan said. "What are we waiting for? Hurry up; I've never lost someone I could get to in time." He snapped.  
  
"Y-yes, sir." The man stuttered and started running towards the place.  
  
"For Suzaku's sake! Just show me which one he's in!" Myojuan yelled, his temper growing short.  
  
The young man pointed shakily to the largest building. "He's in the second room to the left. If you can't find him then Hikaru can show you." However, Myojuan did not hear the man; he was already racing down the hill.  
  
Myojuan raced into the house and into the second room to the left. On a large bed lay a young man. He was 18 or so with bright blue hair that was cut short except for a long Mohawk and a ponytail at the nape of his neck.  
  
A long bandage was wrapped around his left eye and his face was littered with numerous cuts and bruises. A young woman sat by his bed, tending to his wounds.  
  
Trying not to show his worry towards the injured man, Myojuan walked over to the woman and lightly touched her shoulder. She turned, "You must be the doctor we sent for. As you can see, he is badly wounded and he has had a high fever. None of our normal remedies are helping him." She said.  
  
"No medicine can help him now. He is already to far gone." He shook his head.  
  
"You mean he's going to die?" She asked, eyeing the bandage the doctor was removing from his left hand.  
  
"No, he'll live, but I must use my power or else he really will die." Myojuan dropped the bandage to the floor. Kneeling beside the bed, he held out his hand out.  
  
An odd green light gathered around a mark on his hand and then released itself in the form of a bunch of green bubbles. They gathered around the blue haired man and disappeared.  
  
The boy sat up rubbing his blue hair and looked around the room dazedly. "H-hello." He said shakily, "Where are we?"  
  
"We're in the village that is located next to yours, or, rather, what's left of it." The woman told him. "I am called Hikaru and this doctor is called.."  
  
"Myojuan." The doctor supplied.  
  
Hikaru nodded, "Yes, Myojuan. He healed you. What is your name?" She asked.  
  
The young man did not answer. Instead, tears began running down his right eye. At last he began to speak, "I am called Houjun." He told them. His hand found the bandage. He lightly touched it, then pulled his hand away as if he had been burned. "W-what is this?" He asked them. His hand was lightly stained with blood.  
  
"I'm sorry, Houjun-san, but your eye was destroyed during the flood. That is, unless Myojuan-san healed it." She looked hopefully at the doctor.  
  
"I-I really don't know if it healed properly." He said, "Let me look at it." Myojuan gently untied the bandage and unwrapped it. He dropped the cloth to the floor at what he saw. A raw pink scar covered Houjun's left eye, sealing it shut.  
  
"I'm sorry, Houjun. I am afraid that my power could not heal that properly." The doctor shook his head.  
  
Houjun touched the newly formed skin, "It's ok, sir. I want the scar here. To, to remind me of something." His voice trailed off.  
  
Myojuan frowned; this young man was unlike anyone he had ever met. "I am, surprised." He said to the young man.  
  
"Why is that?" He asked the doctor.  
  
"Well, it's mainly because you have already accepted that your eye is now useless. Most people would have complained to me about how they were crippled for life or something of the sort." Myojuan told the man.  
  
"It's, it's because, well, I want it to remind me of how, how. Well, never mind." The young man answered. His tears began coming in torrents now and he buried his face in the blankets.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye Myojuan caught a glimpse of a red light. "Miss Hikaru? Could you please leave for a moment? I must speak to him." He asked.  
  
"Of course." Hikaru nodded and quietly left the room.  
  
Myojuan lightly touched Houjun's shoulder, "Houjun? May I look at your knee for a moment?" He asked.  
  
Houjun nodded wordlessly, so Myojuan pulled up the bottom of the quilt so his patient's knees were visible. On his knee a symbol glowed red as Houjun's tears spilled. Myojuan straightened, "Houjun, look at your knee." He told the young man.  
  
Houjun lifted his head and stared at the burning symbol, "W-what does it mean?" He asked nervously.  
  
Myojuan's face broke into a grin, "It means that you are a star of Suzaku. One born to become one of the seven warriors of Suzaku that protect the Suzaku no Miko." He told him. "I suggest that you try to locate Mt. Taikyoku after you fully recover. Taiitskun will show you how to control the power you possess."  
  
"A-a star of Suzaku." The young man mused and for the first time a handsome grin graced his features. "I will do as you say, doctor. But first I must travel to learn of its whereabouts."  
  
Myojuan laughed, "You do that and when the time comes to fulfill your role, make sure you remember the man who saved your life." Although the two were laughing, sorrow filled the doctor's heart. He would have to make Hikaru and Houjun forget that he had used his power. Even though Myojuan wanted to let it be known, he knew that the spies from Kutou would be searching to destroy the celestial warriors. Just before he slipped some forgetfulness leaves into Houjun and Hikaru's waters, he whispered something to Houjun. "Beware of the Seiryu." Was what he said. With that, he gave Houjun his water and left, making sure Hikaru drank hers as well.  
  
"Take care, young Houjun." He said to the retreating village as he plodded towards his own.  
  
As he trekked on, he met a girl from his own village. In fact, it was Shoka's little sister. "Hello, Kyoui." He greeted her happily.  
  
"Good evening, Myojuan-Sama." She said worriedly.  
  
Seeing the worry in the girl's face, he also became worried, "Has someone else caught the sickness?" He asked.  
  
"Y-yes." She said.  
  
"Who was it?" Myojuan asked hurriedly.  
  
"Onee-chan." She said, "She, she died before I could find you." The girl's lip quivered in the dim light and she looked close to tears.  
  
"Shoka." He said and took off towards his home village at a sprint.  
  
Twenty minutes later, he tore into Shoka's house only to find her corpse still tucked under blankets. Her mother and father were kneeling beside Shoka's sickbed, praying. They heard Myojuan come in panting and they turned to greet him.  
  
His face showed sadness and unbelievable grief as he gazed upon his lost beloved's body. Shoka's mother rose, "Myojuan, I know you are filled with grief over the death of Shoka, but we also have more bad news. The bodies of your family were found further up the river, they were swept away and drowned during the flood. We are sorry." A tear spilled from the woman's eye as she cast her eyes towards the floor.  
  
Myojuan stared in shock at his lost lover for a moment before wheeling around and tearing away from the house. He ran to the woods and up to the hut of his old grandfather who was long dead. Myojuan grabbed his grandfathers pillow and hugged it tight as he cried long into the night.  
  
The End  
  
A/N: Whew, it's done. You know what happens after that. Myojuan (Mitsukake) goes into the woods and lives as a hermit 'till Miaka comes with Tasuki, Hotohori, Nuriko, and Tamahome. Me hopes you liked! ^__________^ 


End file.
